The Clash Over Tacoma’s 'Open-Town' Morals
Council President Roice and Mayor Wright engage in a heated public feud over allegations of vice and the policing of the city streets.
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Internal disagreements at city hall have surfaced as Council President C. A. Roice publicly criticized the administration's 'open-town' policy. Roice alleges that young boys and girls are permitted to enter saloons and dance halls and that women are seen in public in improper dress. Mayor Wright denied every allegation, defended the police chief's record, and countered by mocking the concerns as unfounded rumors, noting that his administration has already driven questionable characters out of the city.
“I deny every allegation set forth in the communication. I think it casts a reflection on our chief of police, and Tacoma has the best chief of police that she has ever had.”
This dispute over morality policing and the 'open-town' vs. 'reformer' label reflects the perennial struggle in Tacoma to define the city's character and the boundaries of public life.
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